By BRANT JAMES, Times Staff Writer
Published August 30, 2005
Robbie Reiser 's grin gave away the relief he felt on Saturday night.
After slogging through the first two-thirds of the season as crew chief for one of Nextel Cup's most disappointing teams, he was elated to see 2003 series champion Matt Kenseth win - dominate, actually - at Bristol. He had his pick of reasons for celebration: Kenseth had not won in 57 races and he had been as low as 20th in points as recently as two months ago. His win, however, pulled him to 11th in the driver standings and 11 points out of a spot in the Chase for the Championship with two regular-season races remaining.
Seeing his effort finally mean something sufficed.
"I think in the first part of the year (team owner) Jack ( Roush ) was ready to fire me," he said. "It was probably the best team I've ever had and that's a lot to say considering we won a championship in 2003, but this group of people that we've got right now they don't get down, they keep working."
MAKING PASSES: Paul Tracy , Champ Car's wins leader (30), told the Dallas Morning News he has contacted former Cowboys quarterbacks Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach about joining their Hall of Fame Racing NASCAR team when his contract with Forsythe Racing expires after next season.
Tracy, 36, tested a Nextel Cup car for Richard Childress Racing at Michigan International Speedway this month and told the Toronto Sun that Childress wants him to do a 500-mile engine durability test before possible bids to enter the Oct. 30 Atlanta or Nov. 20 Homestead races. Tracy told the Sun he would be open to starting his NASCAR career in the Trucks or Busch series.
NO FRIENDS: Chip Ganassi Racing's Ryan Briscoe continues to irk competitors with his rookie earnestness. The problem seems particularly acute when the former Formula One test driver gets off ovals and onto the few street/road courses on the Indy Racing League's schedule.
Briscoe, 23, caused a three-car wreck 19 laps in on Sunday at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., when he cut hard and low into Turn 7 and sent Danica Patrick up into Helio Castroneves . All three had to retire.
"I broke into my normal spot, where I had been every lap, and right up inside came Briscoe. He was fast, Helio was fast. Ryan could've been more patient. I don't know if it was desperate or overanxious," Patrick told the Associated Press. "It cost him, and I'm glad it did cost him. He made the mistake."
Patrick assumed before the race that Briscoe, a pole-sitter for the first time, would have an eventful day. She just didn't know she'd be a part of it.
"I wondered before the race if he was going to run away, drop back or do something stupid. He did one of the three," she said.
Briscoe, blocking as he attempted to maintain position late in the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on April 3, was bumped into a tire barrier by an angry Tony Kanaan .
NEWMAN'S OWN: Bob Costas spent Sunday at the Montreal Champ Car race, researching a Sept. 9 piece on actor/team-owner Paul Newman .
"I came here with about a thimbleful of knowledge about racing and now I've got maybe two thimblefuls," Costas said. "But it has been fun."
SPARK PLUGS: Infiniti Pro series driver Chris Festa is scheduled to resume classes this week at Florida State, where he's majoring in marketing. There are three races remaining in the IRL's top developmental series, where Festa is sixth in points. Marco Andretti , 18-year-old grandson of racing legend Mario and son of former champion Michael , won his third Pro series race of the season at Sonoma and his second on a non-oval after capturing the event at St. Petersburg. ... According to Speed Channel, Toyota will not launch a Nextel Cup or Busch program for 2006.
